Cow Urine Row: A BJP leader from Indore stroked a controversy on Monday by suggesting that organisers make people sip 'gaumutra (cow urine)' before allowing them into garba pandals during the upcoming Hindu festival of Navratri.
"We have requested organisers to ensure devotees do aachaman with cow urine before allowing them to enter garba pandals," BJP district president Chintu Verma was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. "Aachman" refers to the process that requires Hindus to take a sip of water while reciting mantras to ensure the "purification" of the soul ahead of any religious ritual.
Elaborating about the rationale about the proposal, he insinuated that the move would prevent the entry of non-Hindus into Garba venues. "Aadhaar card can be edited. However, if a person is a Hindu, he will enter the Garba pandal only after aachaman of cow urine and there is no question of refusing it," he reasoned.
The Congress party alleged that the suggestion was aimed at polarising the society. The grand old party also claimed that BJP leaders are silent on the plight of cow shelters. "Raising the cow urine aachman demand is the BJP's new trick of playing polarisation politics,' MP Congress spokesman Neelabh Shukla said. He also dared BJP leaders to sip cow urine before entering pandals and post videos of the act on social media.
(With inputs from agencies)